TANGERANG (Indonesia) - Newcomers Dewa United Banten will be tested right away as the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) champions host the opening window of BCL Asia-East 2026 beginning this weekend.
The pan-regional competition's second edition will start its caravan at the Dewa United Arena, in which a total of three games will be played until Sunday featuring all South East Asian that comprise Group A.
Action starts this Friday, with the home team set to battle Hi-Tech Basketball Club - aiming, of course, to make a good first impression against one of the four teams returning from the previous two BCL Asia qualifiers.
For starters, the defending three-time Basketball Thai League champions have been trying to book a return ticket into the event proper since 2024, but have fallen short in the two times they've attempted to do so.
Third time's the charm as some would say, and the team led by Freddie Lish is surely hoping that's the case as they're in their third attempt of making it to the most prestigious club competition in this continent.
And that begins right in their very first game when they lock horns with a neophyte in Dewa United, who's parading a squad headed by former IBL MVP Arkis Wisnu and Mexico men's team standout Joshua Ibarra.
Set to headline Saturday's offering, meanwhile, would be Hi-Tech again and another debutant in the Johor Southern Tigers, which are tasked to bring Malaysia back to the BCL Asia after missing the 2025 meet.
The latest from their nation to join the tourney after the NS Matrix Deers, the reigning Major Basketball League titlists are raring to go with a squad led by veteran internationalists Wong Hi You and Aaron Geramipoor.
Similar to Hi-Tech, Johor are also scheduled to play two nights in a row, as they will face a better-rested Dewa United on Sunday night to cap off the opening window of the BCL Asia-East 2026 Group Phase.
All games are set for a 19:00 local time tip-off, and could be watched live via FIBA's official YouTube page.
The BCL Asia-East 2026 serves as one of the qualifying paths to the BCL Asia 2026. To see the complete competition schedule and the potential brackets for the culminating Final 6, click here.
FIBA